<blockquote>
<h2>Oh, your head hasn't exploded yet? This should do it.</h2>
H9RBS.js (v0.0001) is a flexible, dependency-free, lightweight, device-agnostic, modular, baked-in, component framework MVC library shoelacestrap to help you kickstart your responsive CSS-based app architecture backbone kitchensink tweetybirds.
</blockquote>
This is one of the funniest things I've seen in quite a while.
<blockquote>
<h3>2. How do I install this?</h3>
Um... are you stupid or something? Just attackclone the grit repo pushmerge, then rubygem the lymphnode js shawarma module – and presto!
</blockquote>
Ahh hahahahahahahahahahahahaha.

HTML9 Responsive Boilerstrap JS

iPhone 5 'Exclusive Peek' (Hilarious!)

I saw someone link to a YouTube video that got me to thinking. Now, understand I couldn’t make it through all the utter stupidity in the linked video. I think I got about five minutes in before I shut it off. Here it is if you want a dose of the stupidity that sparked my writing here: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFeC25BM9E0">Has Apple Really Ever Invented Anything?</a>
To be clear, I don’t think this video (the first 5 minutes) was way off base, just enough to really irritate me. But enough about that, I just want to address the question.
First, let’s define the idea of inventing things. <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/invention">Merriam-webster.com says</a>:
<blockquote>
<ol>
<li>discovery, finding</li>
<li>productive imagination : inventiveness</li>
<li>a : something invented: as (1) : a product of the imagination; especially : a false conception (2) : a device, contrivance, or process originated after study and experiment b : a short keyboard composition featuring two- or three-part counterpoint</li>
<li>the act or process of inventing</li>
</ol>
</blockquote>
Does Apple fit here? Discover, finding, productive imagination… I’d argue yes. Did Apple invent the personal computer? No. Did Apple invent the concept of the graphical user interface we use and love on the Macintosh? No. Did Apple invent the modern computer Operating System? No. Did Apple invent the Smart Phone? No. I could go on but you get the idea.
Okay so what am I saying here? Let’s look at the Operating System. Anybody with programing knowledge and sufficient skill can create an Operating System. I mean, Linux is an Operating System. What’s the difference? The difference is that Apple took the concept of Operating System and built upon it. They invented many of the ideas and conventions that all Operating Systems now use today. They didn’t invent the original concept, but they allowed the original concept to spark their imagination and spur them on to build upon and invent greater things.
Apple did not invent the smart-phone by any means, nor did they invent the components that make the iPhone possible. But the question is, did they invent the iPhone? I would say, and I think anyone with an ounce of sense would agree, that they did indeed. Sure, anyone could have made the iPhone. But the fact is Apple did, everyone else did not.
And where I’m differing with the video is the idea of invention. They even said Apple is a technology ‘recipe’ company — that they know how to take technologies and make good products out of them. No argument here. But why is that disqualified from invention and innovation?
Did Henry Ford invent the ‘Horseless Carriage’? <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_automobile">No</a>. Would anyone say he did not invent the Model A? I think not. Henry Ford was an innovator, and an inventor. He is largely responsible for the automobile boom. Frankly I put The Ford Motor Company in the same category as Apple in terms of invention and innovation. Ford made cars for people. The technologies were already out there, Ford took them and improved upon them, iterated, innovated. Apple does the same thing with consumer electronics.
Yes, Apple invents things.

Does Apple Invent Things?

<blockquote>
Blaming the format itself for link-blog overload is like blaming Canon for the deluge of mediocre SLR photography over the last decade. The tools are now available to everyone, which is great. Most people won’t become world-class users of these tools, but the surplus of mediocre output doesn’t mean that there isn’t room for more people who can be truly great at it — it just means that most people’s link blogs aren’t worth following.
</blockquote>
Exactly. As someone running a link blog here, what I’m hoping to do is add value. I’m not trying to replace anyone or re-write anyone’s content or anything like that. I’m aiming for my opinions and links to mean something to someone, somewhere. And certainly, I have been inspired by Daring Fireball, The Loop, Marco and more. But I don’t think its necessarily bad to be inspired by someone or something that they’ve done. And I do hope I’m finding my own voice.

Marco Arment

Marco on Link Blogging

<blockquote>
Apple is either actively considering purchasing a major stake in Twitter or discussed making an investment with the social company more than a year ago and the talks have since ceased, depending on which newspaper one wishes to believe.
</blockquote>
I hope it’s the first one. I would like to see Apple get a stake in Twitter and I hope that it would push the Twitter ecosystem to stay as it is.

MacRumors

Apple and Twitter

<blockquote>
The first season of Star Trek: The Next Generation is finally here in HD. Just in time for the 25th anniversary, the series makes its debut on Blu-ray on Tuesday. TrekMovie has had some time to check out the new set and it is impressive. More details and photos in our review.
</blockquote>
Be sure to go check out the screenshots. Like any good geek, I opened the comparison shots in tabs and switched back and forth between them to compare. I really love what they are doing with the remaster!

Athony Pascale writing at TrekMovie.com

TNG Remastered - Season 1 Available Today

<blockquote>
It’s with our deepest sympathy our hearts go out to the loved ones and users that are touched by this tragedy.
</blockquote>
Exactly.

Jiving Jackalope

The Jackalope speaks about Sparrow's Demise


<blockquote>
The simple solution (which I’m using now) is an external display – but it won’t be long before Retina Cinema Displays replace their outdated siblings. Apple has made it clear that “Pro” users aren’t their bread and butter anymore so, as they push Retina technology forward, 1x will be forcibly left behind.
</blockquote>
Oh. My. Word. I don’t even know where to start. Apple doubling the resolution of their monitor is an “anti-pro” feature? Man we’re really reaching now to keep this stupidness alive. Also, <a href="http://www.marco.org/2012/07/17/the-retina-war-is-upon-us">as Marco points out</a>, you can still get old CRT monitors and plug them into your Mac. Still. Why exactly is this going to somehow be different with LCDs?
Idiots all.

blog.wells.ee

Apple Is Pressing Forward, RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!

<blockquote>
According to reports, James Holmes, 24, threw tear gas into a theater full of patrons watching “The Dark Knight Rises” before he began shooting, leaving 12 dead and 38 wounded. The police have him in custody. Holmes’ apartment building was evacuated, and the ATF is searching his home for possible explosives.
</blockquote>
Wow. This is so tragic. I don’t think anyone goes to the theatre thinking, "I wonder if something bad will happen in the theatre that will cause my death."

Film.com

Tragedy at Dark Knight Rises

<blockquote>
But the changes in e-mail addresses have to be some of the more obnoxious side effects for long-time users. We can’t imagine there are many Ars readers eager to go around telling their friends and family to change their address books again. Are you one of them?
</blockquote>
Okay, seriously I usually like Chengs work over at Ars, but this is just ridiculous. .mac email address from the very first continue to function just fine. I still have an use a .mac address as my email and Apple ID. Apple still owns the domains, and will continue to do so, so there’s no reason to throw users to the wind and make them change email addresses.
It should be noted that she did update the article with a mention that readers pointed this out. But it’s not the point. She did a poor job on the reporting, going so far as to say that it an “obnoxious side effect” when that side effect has never existed. It’s all just FUD about the issue, and that’s the sort of thing I can’t stand in news reporting these days.

Jacqui Cheng writing on Ars Technica

The Email Addresses Aren't Going Anywhere


<blockquote>
We’re excited to announce that Sparrow has been acquired by Google!
</blockquote>
Sigh. This is why we can’t have nice things.

Sparrow

Sparrow Acquired by Google

<blockquote>
“Scalpers reportedly are re-selling The Dark Knight Rises’ midnight IMAX tickets for $65-$100 apiece on both Craigslist and StubHub for NYC’s AMC Loews Lincoln Square 13 — higher even than for Avengers.
</blockquote>
Crazy. I want to see this movie quite a lot, but not that much (besides which I already have my tickets for Saturday).

Posts tagged “Miscellaneous” from the blog